Try different steel, which one?

B

Breuer

Joined
Mar 10, 2010
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4
Hi all,

As I want to try a different steel in the next comming knife, which one would you choose? I already have the following steels:

Spyderco Native VG-10
Spyderco Military S30V
Spyderco Tenacious 8Cr13MoV
Leathermam Charge Ti (154CM)

I was thinking about BG42, S90V or higher, ZDP189? Maybe other suggestions?

Also want to buy a Extrema Ratio Fulcrum. Anyone good expiriences with N690 steel?

Thanks in advance,

Michael
 
Have a few with D2. Great knife steel and what a great edge I can get on it.
Benchmade 960 Osborne
Spyderco Para Military
Jim Turecek Lockback Folder
 
Breuer said:
Hi all,

As I want to try a different steel in the next comming knife, which one would you choose? I already have the following steels:

Spyderco Native VG-10
Spyderco Military S30V
Spyderco Tenacious 8Cr13MoV
Leathermam Charge Ti (154CM)

I was thinking about BG42, S90V or higher, ZDP189? Maybe other suggestions?

Also want to buy a Extrema Ratio Fulcrum. Anyone good expiriences with N690 steel?

Thanks in advance,

Michael
Click to expand...

- N690 is has excellent properties and is on a par with 154CM and VG10. Recommended.

- D2 should also be on your list of alloys to try.

- AUS10 - Very nice alloy. Hard to find these days.

- 440C. See if you can tell the difference in performance between 440C and 154CM in every day usage. Find a US-made knife in this alloy. Mainland Chinese knives contain Chinese alloys. Not the same thing. I think Benchmade has a couple of US-made knives in 440C.
 
How about SG2 or S110V?

ZDP-189 is the steel that has impressed me the most though.

Or go carbon steel like A2, M4, O2 or INFI?
 
M4,ZDP189,S90V or higher S110V,S125V

but make sure you have DMT stones or something similar if you plan on sharpening it your self.
 
I agree with basicly all of the above. BG42 is great, but it's very hard to find right now. Only used knives are available ( or pre owned, but LNIB)

If you don't mind non stainless steels set your sights high and go for CPM M4. It has about the best attributes desired in knife steels with the exception of stain resistance. Even at that it is by far not the easiest steel to have rust appear on. It does pretty well, but does nmeed care.

The Gayle Bradley liner lock from Spyderco would be my reccomendation as it's run harder than Benchmades M4 in my experience. This is good in this high speed steel's case. It's not run high enough to be chippy, but it does have better wear resistance, and sharpens with less burring at higher RC's IMO.

S90V, if yopu can find it would be my second choice.

Make sure you have diamond sharpeners. You can do without them, but why would you want to?
 
Regarding your replies I think I got the confirmation for myself to choose ZDP-189. Later maybe S90V as I heared downside stories about chipping steel in the S110V and S125V series because there just to brittle because of the hardness.

Although I've never thought about going for a non-stainless like M4 (never read anything about it so far, so will give a little search on that too)

I must say that 154CM suprised me how good the edge holds, but VG-10 is always good, still enjoying my Hattori HD-1 and HD-5 in the kitchen :)

And good to hear that N690 is similar to VG-10 and 154CM, that Extrema Ratio Fulcrum is definately comming when I've some spare money :)

I think I'm going to do some research on BG42, SG2, M4, D2 and AUS-10. See which one will be the next...
 
knarfeng said:
- N690 is has excellent properties and is on a par with 154CM and VG10. Recommended.

- D2 should also be on your list of alloys to try.

- AUS10 - Very nice alloy. Hard to find these days.

- 440C. See if you can tell the difference in performance between 440C and 154CM in every day usage. Find a US-made knife in this alloy. Mainland Chinese knives contain Chinese alloys. Not the same thing. I think Benchmade has a couple of US-made knives in 440C.
Click to expand...

My old Gerbers in 440C are not in the same league as 154cm. I think that it may depend on how the knives are heat treated and whether or not there is a cryo treatment. If treated like the Gerbers, then 440C is not so good. I do have Gerber kitchen knives in 440C, Gerber pocket knives in 440C, and Gerber kitchen knives in M2, along with a few of their regular knives in M2. Their 440C is not up to 154CM.
 
m4 is the best i've tested in cutting performance but not many knives out there . my zdp189 enduer would'nt outcut it.
 
I think that ZDP-189, CPM S90V, Haynes Stellite 6-K, and Boker Cera Titan are roughly equal in edge retention and overall usefulness. Talonite (Stellite 6-BH) and CPM S60V (CPM 440 V) are not far behind. In fact I get sick of looking at these knives long before the get dull. The longer they take to sharpen, the longer the edge lasts. I am ready to try some CPM S110V.
 
Is there something specific that you look for in the steels you mentioned? Edge retention is a huge factor in knives for many, but there are others. I'd suggest you try Niolox or SB1 which cotdt already mentioned. As you are European based, it shouldn't that much a problem to get one though no big manufacturer uses SB1. But there are several makers, Jürgen Schanz for one, who use it and I was amazed how good this stainless steel performed. BG-42 is an older but still good steel (I love it in my Military), but it is hard to get these days.
 
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